1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to failure prevention of a hard disk recording apparatus for storing and reproducing content data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer, is provided with a hard disk drive (hereinafter, referred to as a HDD), which is a magnetic storage device serving as a data storage device. The HDD is precision equipment for recording information on a compact disk in a high-density state while rotating the compact disk at a high speed, and also often fails by vibration or impulsion. If the HDD fails, all recorded information cannot be read. Also, when data recorded in the HDD is not backed up, all information is lost, thereby causing a problem.
Therefore, generally, a HDD has been proposed, in which it executes the self-diagnosis on the basis of SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) information which is condition managing information of the HDD such as the number of damaged sectors, sector numbers of the damaged sector, sector numbers of alternative sectors, a read error ratio, an ON/OFF frequency of a power supply or the like, and has the SMART function for detecting expectable interferences.
When there are abnormalities in SMART information, the HDD having the SMART function outputs SMART errors. Since the SMART errors are outputted when there is a possibility that interferences occur in the HDD, the HDD normally operates at this time. For this reason, when the SMART error is generated, it is possible to prevent the data from being lost by backing up necessary data and replacing the HDD. Therefore, it is possible to protect the data.
In addition, generally, in order to monitor a magnetic storage device of a slave station installed at a remote location, there is provided a condition managing system of a magnetic storage device in which a master station can monitor detailed operating conditions of the magnetic storage device in a slave station by collecting self-analysis information (SMART information) of the slave station and take prevention measures before abnormalities occur in the magnetic storage device (For example, see JP-A-2003-233511).
A hard disk recorder (HDD video recorder), and a hard disk recorder complex machine having a record-typed DVD drive or a video tape recorder have come into wide use as household appliances having a HDD.
These appliances only display error messages when abnormalities are generated on the HDDs during use, and they don't have effective self-diagnosis functions. For this reason, users cannot understand conditions of the appliances until the messages are displayed. Since the appliances are not operated due to the sudden failure of the HDDs, it is not possible to notify the user of the possibilities that interferences occur in advance, and they have disadvantages.